Thomas m



(No Model.) I

T.M.CONPROPST.

PRESSBR FOOT FOR SEWING MACHINES. No.. 338,163. Patented Mar. 16, 1886.

77 ifheawew I 2 Wen/Z01 gwiim UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THOMAS M. OONPROPST, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY OF NEW JERSEY.

PRESSER-FOOT FOR SEWING-MACHINES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,163, dated March 16, 1886.

Application filed October 23,1885. Serial No. 180,707. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THOMAS M. CONPROPST, a citizen of the United States, residing at Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Presser-Feet for Sewing- Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to a sewing-machine presser-foot for use in sewing stays or staypieces which are intended to overlie seams which it is desired to strengthen. To this end my presser-foot is provided on its under side, forward of the needle-hole, with a central rib or fin extending lengthwise of the foot and projecting below the bearing-surface or bottom thereof. I also prefer to provide my presserfoot at its outer edges with longitudinal ribs, forming between them on the bottom of the foot a single groove, these edge ribs preferably extending from the heel of the foot only as far forward as the needle-hole therein.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2 are side and frontelevations of one form of my invention, and Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the same. Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views, similar to Figs. 1, 2, and 3, respectively, of a slightly-modified form of my invention; and Figs. 7, 8, and 9 illustrate still another form thereof.

My presser-foot is formed with a shank of ordinary construction, by which it'is secured to the presser-bar of the machine, and is provided on one side, about midway of its length, with a needle-hole, a. Forward of the needlehole on the bottom of the foot, is a central longitudinal rib or fin, b, which is intended to enter the crease of a seam which is to be strengthened by a stay-piece, so that the work to which the stay-piece is to be sewed may be readily guided to the needlein such a manner that the stay-piece seam will run parallel to the seam which is to be strengthened, the staypiece when being sewed to the work being placed beneath the latter.

The rib or fin b is formed on the front part only of the foot, the rear end of said rib or fin being opposite the needle-hole, as shown in Figs. 3 and 6, or slightly in front of said hole,

as in Fig. 9. The seams in connection with which my presser-foot is intended to be used are usually formed by two abutting edges of material, and the crease between these two edges receives the said rib or fin when being guided to the needle in sewing on the stay. In the presser-feet heretofore in use for this purpose the central ribs orfins have extended the entire length of the bottoms of the feet, so that it was difficult to guide seams having short curves thereby, and owing to the ex tended lengths of these ribs or fins there was an objectionable friction on the seams, and the latter were apt to be more or less spread or held apart after being sewed by those portions of the ribs or fins extending rearward of the needle-holes.

The rear portion of the bottom of my presserfoot is preferably provided at its edges with longitudinal ribs 0, which serve to assist in holding the stay-pieces (which when being sewed are on the under side of the work) in place by transmitting more pressure to the edges of said stay-pieces than to the central 7 portions thereof. These ribs 0 preferably extend only as far forward as the needle-hole, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, although they may, if desired, extend the entire length of the sides of the foot, as in Figs. 7 and 9; or my central rib in front of the needle-hole may be used in connection with a presser-foot such as is shown in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, the bottom of which (excepting the central rib or fin) is made fiat, or in the ordinary way. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting the main feature of my invention, which is the central rib at the forward part of the foot, to apresser-foot having side ribs rearward of the needle-hole only.

Having thus described my invention,I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. A sewing-machine presser-foot provided on its under side, at its forward end, with a central longitudinal rib rigid with said foot and terminating rearwardly at or near the needle-hole, said rib being V shaped in cross-section, or sharpened on its bottom,and chamfered off or extending upward at the front or toe thereof, to adapt it to enter the crease of the seam, substantially as set forth.

2. A sewing-machine resser-foot provided on its under side, at its forward end, with a rearward of the needle-hole only, substantially to central longitudinal rib or fin,the rear of which as set forth.

- is at or near the needle-hole, the bottom of said In testimony whereof I affix my signature in foot having also longitudinal ribs at its edges, presence of two witnesses.

substantially as set forth. 3. A sewing-machine presser-foot provided THOMAS GONPROPST' on its under side, at its forward end only, with Witnesses:

a central longitudinal rib or fin, said foot hav- HENRY \V. Donn,

ing also on its bottom longitudinal side ribs CHAS. H. NUTE. 

